Vehicle drive



Sept 2,, W28,

H. H. LINN VEHICLE DRIVE F ed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 actor new Sept, 25,, W28.

H. H. LIINN VEHICLE DRIVE Filed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet I N VEN TOR.

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lt atented liieptl lilti HULMAN HARRY LINN, 013 DEGREES, NEW YORK, .lSSIiGll lOLl-l TO THE LINN MANUFAC- T'UJRIINGr CORPORATION, Oli ldIOlEtlEtllE, Ihl'ElV YORK, A CUEFLPUBATION 01 NEVT YOBJEQ.

VEHICLE DRIVE.

Application filed April 2,

This invention relates to vehicle drives and provides a double reduction unit designed rimarily for use with tractors and other veiiicles subjectto hard usage and heavy duty service.

In a reduction gear of this character it is essential that the parts be constructed to withstand extreniielv hard usage i'naintain ellico tive alignment and proper driving relation and yet be readil accessible for repair or replacement purposes. Fll'l'tllelll]OH it is c pedient or desirable to maintain ellicient lubrication oil. the parts at all times and to e); elude water mud an d other foreign substances.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision oi: a reduction gear having a three-point suspension and othe "wise constructed and arranged with a view to maximum strength and resistance to distortion and in which provision is made for ample and of live lubrication while at the same time previrotinp;- the admission of water, inud, etc.

()ther objects as well as the ature characteristic ilcatures snd scopo oi the invention will more readily be understood from the :lollowing description taken in co'ni'icction with the accon'ipanyin drawings wherein Figure l is a hln'izontalsectional view of the double reduction unit, one si do only oil? the vehicle bein shown.

Fig. 1 is a contininition laterally oil? the structure Fig. 1.

2 is a sectional view Fig. 1

on line 22 of 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 oi h1g2 4-. 1s a. sectional view on line 41: l oi Fig. 1

ll 5 is asectional view on line 5 5 of The double reduction unit is arranged between the differential and driving sprocket, being oi? course duplicated on each side of the diflerentiah lln the detail illustrated, there is provided a differential 1 of conventional design but of very heavy and rug-nod construction. It is enclosed 1n hoi'isn A casing 3 is secured. as by bolts to the diii'erential housing; and 1 ds rearwardly thereof. The t is equipped with a immovable co c. orniod w: .li a lab-er 192i? serial. No. 265.3252.

ally projectin trunnion (3 fitting into a hanger 'l" on a frame member 8. The front 0i i 1e dillercntisl is carried. in a cross 111I11- her oil the vehicle frame and this arrangeincnt together with the hai'iger supported trunnion establishes a threepoint suspension For the unit. A universal shaft 9 extends through the diffcrential housing 2 and into the gear casing 3. where it is provided with a pinion 10, the shzrlt being sup ported on each side of the pinion b v bearings 11 in the dili'erential housing and cover plate 5. Meshing with the pinion 10 is a gear wheel 12, the hub of which is supported at its respective ends in bearings 13 mounted in the Q1931 casing); and cover plate. The bearing 13 in the gear casing; has a. retainer plate 1 L detachablv secured. to the casing, said retainer plate closing; an opening in the gear easing throi'igh which the bearing is accessible.

Tl he hub of the gear wheel 12 is broached to receive the splined end 15 of ii driving axle 16, which extends through the trunnion 6 of the cover plate in spaced relation to the inner wall thereoi. The other end of the driving axle is provided with raised splines or teeth 1'? beyond which. it is mounted in a self-aligning bearii 18 carried in a hanger l9 bolted to a -lraine element 20. A double sprocket wheel 21 is loosely mounted on the driving axle between the gear casing and the spline til surface li'. The hub of the sprocket wheel of the parts. the space between the trunnion 6 and the drive axle 16 is provided with a felt packing; ring; 23. Un that side of the rinpfnent the gear casing is arranged a paclc ing gland 24; freely slidable on the axle and ,ejcd towel L j. coil.

l th e in ac lain I the guardplate overl flange 26 extending in vardly from the trun- 111OI1. Manitestly, the telt ring is held in a "state of compression by the pressure of the spring and, therefore, does not rotate with the code so that on contact with mud, grit or other abrasive it would be short-lived. To prevent this hazard, I provide mated inner and outer protector plates 97 and 31, whereof the inner or PITGSSHIQ plate 2? is bolted, as at 28, to the trunnion, and whereof the outer or guard plate. 231 is secured to th sprocket wheel 21. p

The plate 27 is formed with laterally projecting concentric ribs Ell-oi which one is a rim flangejwhich mate with the overlying rim 31 and lip extensi ns 30 and 30, respectively, oi the guard plate. The outer end oi ice the hub o? the sprocket wheel 21 and has an outsti-uidingr circumferential flange 32 vherebv it is secured to the sprocket wheel.

Mounted on the axle and between the hub elements 3% and 35 of said plates is a. bronze thrust washer 33.

The chamber 36 formed intern er :ate sprocket wheel 91 and a. guard pi s as a lubricant reservoir to wh' may be introduced through littin chamber being ported, as mission of lubricant to the thrust washer.

It will be apparent that any excess of oil or lubricant must pass through the tor uous pessag'e established by the mated lip sions, endsincc the rim element 2J1 revolves with the sprocket wheel 21,,centri. Anal force is developed the points mentioned which must be overeon'ie before an extraneous matter can enter between the inter-fitted plates.

i This force tends in a. measure to the accumulaltion otoil in the tortuous channel or well between the plates, WfliCll oil, it n'ioving at all, is moving in opposition to foreign matter seeking to enter. Evidently, the entrance oi. foreign matter at this point is resisted, first, by centrifugal force; second by the tendency of the excess oil to be forced in a direction opposing that of foreign matter; and, third, by the presence of such excess oil in the tortuous passage serving as a seal.

{It is of course iHIPUllJitlltthat the selt aligningibearing 18 at the outer end ol the driving axle ltl also be partly lubricated and protectedtrom dirt. To secure this result, the hanger 19 is formed with an inwardly projecting flange 39, betweenthe pinion 17 and the bearing 18, the inner edge of which is recessed to receive a peering ring; 40. The hanger 19. is also formed with 2r lip. 4:1 which partially overlies the extended hub of the sprocket wheel 21 and cooperates. with a guard flange 4C2. V

A thrust Washer 43 is arranged concentric. with the driving axle and between the. extreme end of the pore-ion of the hub ot nun 'er closure by :1 cup all through the lltilllifj :15 in which lubricant may be tors-ed into the bearing' 18 and beyond the packing); ring 1) into the space between the lip -l-l and gnuird lluuizc 4:2, and into the clnunber between the L'jlllll'll flange and extended bub portion 732 ol the sprocket 21. The thrust washer ii; is thus ei fectively lubricated and the ceulril'l crul lorce dmreloped by the relative xutudrul ol' the guard thingizjc -Ll-E2 causes any excess lubricant to pass between said flu: or and the lip 41 03'? the lnine e- 19.

Thus, the movement oil lubricant under the centrifugal :iction, sand the liquid seal c.- t:1blished by the very presence of lubricant urn eii'cctive to exclude w; ter or other i'oreiejn matter from the bearing; 18. illoreover. thev pecking ring 4-1 serves in no small degree to prevent the passage of foreign matter to the hearing.

it will of course be understood that all joints lictween the vzzrious removable and separable sections of the lined parts ol the.

unit are to be provided with the usual gusliets to prove leakage.

The reduction unit is of the double type in that there is initially :1 reduction l)(.i'\\'((ll the tail shaft of the diliercntiul and the ring gear and a second reduction in the ratio between the pinion 10 and gear 12. The total reduction, obviously. mav be varied to suit poser. 21s to provide for convenient rencvvu'! or repair when nccessurv. The lllrewpoinl suspension operutcs to secure the utmost ril'idihv o'l structure in order lo nest the heavy duty demands to which the tractor is usuull; subjected. And the unit has been construct d to ali ord ample lubri 'ution losses, while :u the same time lilllK'lllff to 13 marked degree the possiliiilitv oi the entrance of water. mud or grit to the bearings. Thus, wear incidental to the entry oi such su stances is prcvcnlml to a. large degree, and the unit as u whole is afforded longer lite and more uiiil'oriu service than would otherwise be the case.

No reference is made herein to uny purl ii-ular metal employed in connection with the parts, but it is nuiui'l ei t that such metal :-'c-- lections shall be with it view to securing lightness without sacrificing strength or resistance to wear.

Having; described urv invention, I claim In a drbu'e tor tractors and the like havin its organisation :1 diilerential. :1. driv- J axle, and connections. a front supported housing for the differential, g ar cusings rigidly oined to sa d housii'ie; it either side thereof, and trunnions carried by the Sll till

esaeat gear casings and affording together withthe front supported end of the differential a three-point suspension for the unit.

2. ln a drive for tractors and the like having in its organization a differential, a driving axle, and gear connections, a front supported differential housing and gear casings carried thereby, removable cover plates for the gear casings, and trunnions carried by said cover plates and constituting means of support whereby a three-point suspension is established.

In a reduction unit for tractor and similar drives including a differential, a driving axle operatively connected to the differential, a double sprocket mounted on and directly coupled to the axle, a selfaligning bearin g at one end of the sprocket wheel, a thrust collar at the other end, and means for lubricating the collar.

4. The combination with a driving axle, a driving sprocket wheel. mounted thereon and formed with a lubricant chamber, a bronze collar on the axle to resist end thrust of the sprocket wheel, and mated elements operating to supply lubricant to the collar and to exclude water, mud, etc.

5. The combination with a driving axle, a driving sprocket wheel mounted thereon and formed with a lubricant chamber, a bronze collar on the axle to resist end thrust of the sprocket wheel, mated elements operating to supply lubricant to the collar and to exclude water, mud, etc, and whereof one is fixed and whereof the other rotates with the sprocket wheel, and a gland associated with the fixed el ei'nent.

6. in a reduction unit for tractor and like drives'inchuling a differential, a differential housing, a gear casing removably connected in said h ousing, a frame supported cover plate for the casing, a driving axle operative in the gear casing, a driving sprocket wheel, an in ternal. drive between the axle and sprocket wheel, a self-aligning bearing for the axle, and a frame carried hanger for supporting said bearing.

7, in a reduction unit for tractor and like drives including a differential, a gear casing removably connected to the differential housing, a cover plate for the gear casing formed with a trunnion, a frame engaging hanger supporting the trunnion, a driving axle projecting from the gear casing, a gear in said casing and fixed on said axle, hearings in said casing and cover plate for supporting the gear, a pinion mounted on the differential shaft and meshing with said gear, a sprocket wheel loose on the axle beyond said trunnion, a drive intermediate the axle and sprocket wheel, and means intermediate said trunnion and sprocket wheel to prevent the entrance of deleterious matter to said bearings, said means including a member to the trunmen and cooperating member carried by and movable with the sprocket wheel, said members interfitting to form a tortuous passage to which excess lubricant may be directed by the centrifugal action of the member carried by the sprocket.

8. lfn a reduction unit for tractor and like drives including a differential, a gear casing ren'iovably connected to the differential housing, a cover plate for the gear casingand formed with a trunnion, a frame engaging hanger supporting the trunnion, a driving axle projecting from the gear casing, a gear in said casing and fixed on said axle, bearings in said casing and cover plate for supporting the gear, a pinion mounted on the differential shaft and meshing with said gear, a sprocket wheel loose on the axle beyond said trunnion, a drive intermediate the axle and sprocket wheel, packing interposed between the axle and trunnion, and means for supply ing lubricant and for excluding dirt and comprising plates whereof one is fixed to the trunnion and the other rotates with the sprocket wheel, said plates having nested lip extensions.

9. In a reduction unit for tractor and like drives including a differential, a gear casing removably connected to the differential, housing, a cover plate for thegear casing formed with a trunnion, a frame engaging hanger supporting the trunnion, a driving axle projecting from the gear casing, a gear in said casing fixed on said axle, bearings in said casing and cover plate for supporting the gear, pinion mounted on the differential shaft and meshing with said gear, a sprocketwheel loose on the drive axle, packing interposed between the axle and trunnion, a pres sure plate secured to the trunnion and concentric with the axle and formed beyond the trunnion with laterally extending spaced concentric lips, a packing gland engaging said packing in opposition to the pressure plate, means for n'iaintaining a pressure ll'lOVEll'lGlltof said gland on the packing, and a guard plate carried by and movable with the sprocket wheel and having a lip to extend between the spaced lips of the pressure plate.

10. In areduction unit for tractor and like drives including a differential, a gear casing removably connected to the differential housing, a cover plate for the gear casing formed with a trunnion, a frame engaging hanger supporting the trunnion, a driving axle projecting from the gear casing, a gear in said casing fixed on said axle, hearings in said c: sing and coverplate for supporting the gear, a pinion mounted on the differential shaft and meshing with said gear, a sprocket wheel loose on the axle beyond said trunnion, a drive intermediate the axle and sprocket wheel, packing interposed between the axle and trunnion, a pressure plate secured to the trunnion and cones ie with the and formed beyond the Mnnicn with Literally eat-antler;

spaced concentric lips, a packing gland engaging said packing in opposition to the pressure plate, a spring cooperating with the gland to compress the packing, and a guard plate carried by and movable with the sprocket wheel and having a lip to extend between the spaced lips of the pressure plate, said guard plate having a skirt overlying the rim of the pressure plate.

11, In a reduction unit for tractor and like drives including a diffe ential, a gear casing removably connected to the differential housing, a cover plate for the gear casing and formed with a trunnion, t'ramc eng a ing' hanger supporting the trunnion. n drivingaxle projecting from the gear casing, a gear in said casing fixed on said axle, bearings in said casing and cover plate for supporting);

1 the gear, a. pinion mounted on the diilerential shattland meshing with sa'd gear, a s n'ocket wheel loose on the axle beyond said trunnion, a drive mtermediete the axle and sgrocket wheel, packing interposed between the axle and trunnion, a pressure plate secured to the trunnion concentric with the axle and formed beyond the trunnion with laterally extending spaced concentric lips, 2. packing gland engag ng said packing in opposition to thc prec; sure plet e,spr1ng means for maintaining a pressure movement of said gland on the packmg, a guard plate carried by and movable With the sprocket wheel and having a lip to extend between the spaced lips of the pressure plate, a thrust washer interposed between the pressureplate andguard plate, and means for supplying lubricant to the washer and whereby excess lubricant establishes a liquid seal.

bearing carried by the hunger and supporting the axle, a lip on the hanger overlying the hub of the sprocket wheel, and :1 guard flange carricd by the sprocket wheel and overlying said lip.

13. A reduction unit for tractor and like drives including :1 dillercutial, comprising a driving axle, gearing; conncctiiu it with the diliercntial, a sprocket wheel sliduble ou the axle, an internal drive between the sprocket wheel and axle, a frame connected hanger beyond the sprocket wheel, selt-a igning bearing carried by the hanger and supporting the axle beyond the sprocket wheel. an inwardly extending flange on the hunger immediulclv concentric with the drive axle. :1 packing in said flange bearing on the drive axle, :1 thrust washer between said flange and the proxhuatc end of the sprocket hub. a lip on the barr er overlying the thrust washer and the proximate end of the sproclzc; huh, and :1 guard flr-uig'e carried by and movable with the sprocket and overlying the lip.

14;. The combiiuition 0t :1 driving axle, :1 driving; sprocket wheel splincd to the axle. :1 .seltaligningbearing for the axle. and means for protecting it. including a hub extension of the sprocket wheel.

The combination of a driving axle, a driving sprocket wheel. end thrust provisions for the sprocket wheel, including: labyrinth packing, a lubricant chamber in the sprocket wheel in cenununication with the end thrust. provisions, and means for utilizing" excess lubricant to seal the labyrinth packing.

1.6. The combiiuition of u driving avlc. :1 driving sprocket wheel, an end thrust device for the sprocket wheel, packing, a gland, means cooperating with it to compress the packing, means for feeding lubricant to the end thrust device. and means or trapping lubricant to establish a continuous ring seal.

In testimony whereof I allix mv signature.

HOLMAN HARRY LINN. 

